A Whisper in the Dark
by syntax glory
Summary: Selphie realizes there are two men in her life vying for her attention-Irvine and Zell. Can she choose who it is her heart desires before the tension between the two rivals breaks? Readers decide if it's a Selvine or Zelphie!
1. Evocation

Disclaimer: Squaresoft will always own FFVIII.

Author's Note: Chapter2 will be up soon. Anyways, this is a new fic done in Selphie's POV. Bad intro, I know. Selvine or Zelphie?

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**A WHISPER IN THE DARK  
Chapter One: Evocation  
**_by Ascendo Tuum_

Quietly, I watched, as an invisible breeze ruffled the blossoms of the spring flowers in the Quad. Most of them were irises and daisies, but a few bright red tulips mingled among the ribbon of purple and yellow blooms. This garden had been the result of much lobbying on the behalf of the student body for a more lively campus, and after three weeks' of hard work, Cid gave in and allowed the student council (yours truly as President) to trek dirt across the floor as we planted the flowers.

I soon heard footsteps coming my way and willed myself not to turn around. I already knew it was Irvine, as he liked to play these sorts of "Guess Who" games. The fact that he also wore a musky cologne, which wafted around thickly in the air, did not help in shrouding his identity.

"Guess who?" rumbled the soft baritone voice he carried in him with great pride. Sometimes I wondered if he was exaggerating the tone, or if he naturally sounded that deep.

"Irvy?" I answered in a forced childish voice. His little antic was fast becoming exhausted from overuse, but it wasn't up to me to hurt someone's feelings. I was never one to nurse grudges or harbor resentment towards anyone. It didn't make sense to dislike someone overa little thing. That didn't mean that I was the forgive-and-forget type either. I tended to sulk silently but I would always shrug it off later because it never made sense to stay angry for so long. I guess this was a weakness too, because people could take advantage of me, knowing I'd never hold a grudge against them.

Irvine laughed. "You're right Sefie!" He placed an arm around my shoulder and we walked towards the empty stage. I had not decided on a new event for Garden yet, but we sorely needed one. I saw too many SeeDs and SeeDs-in-training walking in the hallways with downcast faces. It was high time there was some fun.

Of course, never mind the fact that these people were all sad looking because exams were coming. I, Selphie Tilmitt, promised to lift everyone's spirits up with the next big bash.

Zell soon came along, as usual with a hot dog in his hand. "Hi Irvine, Selphie." He greeted before taking another bite of his staple food. "I got the last hot dog today." He added proudly, as if he had won the lottery. I noticed a small dab of ketchup spattered on his blue vest and wondered if he was going to wipe it onto his hot dog.

"Good for you Zell," Irvine remarked in a controlled voice. I could sense the disappointment and slight agitation in his voice of not being able to be with me exclusively, just the two of us. Sometimes, I wondered what it would be like to be his girlfriend, but there were so many cons flying in the shadows, I often became confused. It was common knowledge that the cowboy was a womanizer, and that his affections were fickle, but many girls swore that in the brief time they were with him, it was heaven.

"What's up?"

I shrugged. "Garden's been boring. Quisty's on a solo mission and Rinoa took Squall shopping." The words felt like heavy leads in my mouth, used too often. For once, I wanted to break out of the usual, surprise everyone with the Selphie inside. It wasn't worth it though. They would be shocked to think that there was a deeper side to the shallowly exuberant girl they thought they knew so well.

Zell nodded slowly, absorbing the information in his mind the way his body took in what little nutrients were in the hot dog. "Why don't you plan something, Selphie? You're good at planning things."

"That's what I'm going to do now--with both of you helping me," I replied firmly and shrugged off Irvine's arm. Going over to where a clipboard lay abandoned, I picked it up and pulled a pen out of my pocket. "Let's get some ideas going." So saying, I hefted myself onto the edge of the platform and sat down.

"How 'bout we plan a square-dance?" Irvine purred, winking. I gave him a brief smile before turning towards Zell.

Zell scratched his head slowly. "Hot-dog day? We could serve hot dogs and uh… eat hot dogs." He finished weakly.

"We need something new and refreshing," I reminded in a rather chiding voice. I knew Zell had good ideas, he simply had trouble getting them through. Irvine preferred all things Western, and I strongly doubted SeeDs would welcome another Western-themed event with open arms. The last Sadie Hawkins dance we planned had gone awry, with Quistis dragging a drunken Seifer out the room by the cuff of his neck. Besides, the possibility had over-exhausted itself.

"What about a boxing match?" Zell piped up, his cobalt-blue eyes alight with glee. He added a few punches for effect and ended with a jab aimed nowhere.

Irvine snorted derisively. "Oh come on Zell, not everyone can box. I nominate a day at the beach. Selphie will definitely like going to the beach."

"Not everybody likes becoming a tomato," Zell retorted smugly. "I think Selphie will like having the boxing match instead. We could charge people to fight and the funds could go to uh.. her committee. Yeah!" He eyed Irvine suspiciously, and was met with a glare too.

It was then that I realized both of them were vying for my attention. For how long, I didn't know. I was never really an observant or analytical person. That didn't mean I didn't care, I just didn't notice the little things.

I knew one thing though. There was a difference in the way they tried to get my attention, apparent as it was. Irvine liked to play around and hide his real intention behind sugared words. Zell played the more direct admirer though he too did not fully display his affections.

Sighing quietly to myself, I hopped off. "Let's go get some rest, each of us and meet back in three hours. Maybe we can have a killer idea that'll lift everyone's spirit."

It was a coward's way out of pensive boredom, but I felt it much required to break the thin ice of tension. I needed to sort my thoughts and clear my head from its burden.

Who knew that two guys would want me? It was a surprising enlightenment, and I for once, did not feel energetic enough to mull it over in delight.

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	2. Implication

Disclaimer: FF8, Squaresoft.

A/N: Here's chapter 2! Thanks to all the 14 reviewers!

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**A WHISPER IN THE DARK  
Chapter Two: Implication  
**_by Ascendo Tuum_

I awoke from my nap, refreshed until a thought hit me full on like a sledgehammer. I had to meet Zell and Irvine…

I had left them in the Quad to ponder, under the pretext of sleepiness. There was no escaping my situation now, and I was fresh out of excuses to avoid the both of them for at least another few hours.

To be honest, I never understood the concept of jealousy. What was the point of fighting with someone else over another person? Was this rivalry between Zell and Irvine just for a masculine ego boost, or did the two really like me?

I shivered. It was still hard to believe that I had two admirers.

Sitting up, I looked out the window. It was a clear day, the sky was a gorgeous shade of blue and the clouds were fluffy white blobs. What a pity my life couldn't be as sunny as the view outside my window. I despised this little contest that Zell and Irvine had between them to see who would get my affection first. These sort of things turned into ugly events that left all involved scarred. I didn't want a recollection of a tense time where Irvine and Zell were practically out to get each other's throats and offer it to me. At this rate, a full-fledged fist fight wouldn't be surprising. The animosity was never that obvious, always hidden behind words, but I knew it'd be rolling off of them sooner or later.

I wanted no part in this mess, but I had no choice. I was never the type to easily extricate myself from difficult situations, that was always Quistis's great skill. She always seemed to know what exactly to do, and what exactly to say without hurting anyone. She was the diplomat out of our little sundry group.

Who could I turn to for advice? Xu was out of the question for she had no say in these matters and I privately doubted she ever had any experience in such a matter. Cid and Edea could only offer a go-for-it for whatever solution I myself suggested. I knew Squall would only blankly stare at me as if I had asked him how to grow three heads. Obviously, asking Zell and/or Irvine was homicidal.

Pity Quistis was on a mission, I would definitely have gone to her for advice.

Maybe Rinoa… but was she still out shopping with Squall?

There was only one way to find out, and so I walked over to the cordless phone and dialed her room number.

Four deafening rings sounded, and I winced as I pulled the phone away from my throbbing ear. Then I heard her exuberant voice. "Hi! This is Rinoa speaking!"

"Hey Rinoa, this is Selphie." I replied slowly, feeling rather awkward about the situation.

"Oh hello Sef! What's up?"

"Um, well do you mind coming over to my room? I need to talk with you-"

"Sure, be right over!" Rinoa replied and hung up.

Slowly, I placed the phone back in its cradle, surprised by the brief exchange. She sounded so jolly and carefree; did I really have the heart to bog her down with guy troubles? How silly of me!

I chided myself, still not believing that I was freaking out over this. This rivalry doesn't have anything to do with life or death! At least not yet. So why did I have to take this and blow it into ridiculous proportions? Two guys liked me. What a big deal!

In less than two minutes flat, Rinoa was over, a big smile stretching from ear to ear. "Anything up?" She asked as she sank happily into the plush armchair that stood in the corner of my sunflower-covered room.

I flushed for a second, uncertain of what to say that would make the problem clear and not make me seem like an idiot. "Well… it looks like Irvine and Zell uh…"

"They like you." The raven-haired girl finished simply for me, the eternal grin still on her innocent face. Seeing my surprised face, she shrugged. "It was obvious, for weeks at the very least. They would always be hanging off of you, worshipping you in one way or another--"

"Ok that's enough Rinoa," I squeaked, shocked that it was so obvious to everyone around me while I was all oblivious about it. "Yeah well the problem is that I don't want to hurt one for the other." I mumbled sheepishly, staring at my nails with my head down.

She nodded understandingly. "Do you like one of them?"

I shrugged before answering compliantly. "I have no idea whatsoever. All I know is that I want this rivalry between them to end before one of them gets hurt. I really don't want to be the reason for a fight, ugh... What do you think I should do?"

"What I would suggest won't help you if you're not interested in going out with one of them. If you only consider them as friends, then just tell them that you don't wanna jeopardize their friendship with one another and you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's the best thing to do, unless of course you _do_ like someone but you're not telling who," she said coyly.

I flushed. "Honestly, I don't know, Rinoa. Maybe I do want to go out with one of them, or maybe I don't. I'm just not sure I like one over the other."

Rinoa tapped her chin thoughtfully,her bright silver nail polish reflecting the sunlight. "Hmm… well then if I was in your situation, I'd tell Zell and Irvine that I'd go on a date with each of them. Like Zell on one day and Irvine another."

I frowned on the inside. Although I knew Rinoa had tried her best, I felt it was only meager advice. Even if I randomly drew before Irvine and Zell who would go first, they would launch into a tirade against the proposal, pointing out both realistic and imaginary cons. That alone was enough to give me a headache, and there was still the invisible threat of sabotage done by the other. "Thanks Rinoa." I did my best to make my voice sound even and grateful, and not as hollow as it sounded.

"No problem," she beamed, "what are friends for? Anything else you wanna talk about?"I shookmy head no, and then she turned around and waved goodbye.

I saw her to the door and checked the time. Great, I had only spent about an hour-and-a-half napping and fifteen talking to Rinoa. The guys weren't expecting me for another hour or so.

Rinoa's advice repeated itself in my mind and I couldn't help but chew my lower lip in frustration. I sorely wanted Quistis's input on my sticky situation too, as she was the wisest of us all.

Yet again I reminded myself she was away on a mission, and had to smile somewhat at the fact that Seifer was with her. I always thought they made a cute couple, and hopefully they would hit it off during the few weeks of the mission. Perhaps they would both return holding hands and sharing private jokes. Reality was more likely to have the duo return with the other's dead body.

Ugh. What was I thinking? I should have been deciding what to do! This was my problem and I needed to find a way to solve it. As amusing as it was to think of the various ways Quistis and Seifer could've fallen in love, I had a problem in my hands that required instant attention.

Too bad I just couldn't stay focused. Thank Hyne Squall was always the leader, for if he ever nominated me, I would get the whole group killed or something over my inability to decide the best course of action quickly. I could be so indecisive, when the committee had met to discuss what flowers should be planted, we took over a week to pick a few types.

I had no choice but to accept the truth. I would have to go on a date with Irvine and Zell. The only problem would be if I chose one before the other. That action alone would suggest an unfair partialness to the person going on the first date with me. If I drew a slip of paper in front of them with a hat, I knew for a fact Zell and Irvine would still declare some sort of trickery. Even if I had only two slips of paper and they saw me write each other's name on one slip each, they would accuse the other of some secret plotting.

Hyne, boys could be so pesky.

What had I done to deserve this mess? Was it some unseen sort of vengeance from Quistis, for figuring out that I pulled strings so Xu and Cid would have Seifer join Quistis on the mission? Or was it when I decided to organize another festival and make Squall go through hell to advertise it by donning an outfit as the goddess Gaia? Oh there was no point in worrying about that now!

I wondered what Zell and Irvine saw in me. In my own thoughts, I was just another of your average short brunettes from Trabia who were happy-go-lucky, didn't care about physical appearances and loved to plan fun events for the whole of Balamb Garden to get involved in.

Then again, that whole description pointed to a one and only Selphie Tilmitt. Hyne. Well the question was now, what did I see in Irvine and Zell?

Cons would be better to think of first. Irvine, basically put, was a player. A ladies' man was just the euphemism. I swallowed my ongoing fear and wondered just how many one-night-stands he had had. He also wore leather! Leather! I was a staunch animal rights activist, so that put a rather thick crack into a blossoming relationship. What else was there? Ah yes, he also wore such a strong musky cologne that I felt like choking whenever I was around him. I then began to feel guilty, since there seemed to be an endless list of cons in Irvine so I decided to move onto Zell.

Hmm. Zell, he was too jumpy at times. He ate so many hot dogs everyday that it was both disgusting and stupid. Didn't he know how worthless hot dogs were nutritionally? He could be high-strung and have a short temper, and he almost always chose to end a fight with his hands instead of his words. Was there anything else? I wasn't so sure, but maybe it was because I was suspiciously around Irvine so much I got to the point of analyzing his faults constantly. After all these negative thoughts, I decided to save the pros for another time.

I needed to find a way to contact them both without the other getting wary. Tapping my chin, I looked around my room, thinking hard. My eyes stopped on the phone, then the computer. Hmm… Emailing Irvine and Zell would be easier than calling them each separately, wouldn't it? I was so sure my voice would betray my hesitant feelingsthat I decided to go for the email. All I had to hope for was that both would receive it and read it right away.

I went over to the small desktop computer mandatory in every SeeD's room. It was an ugly gray thing, and I sorely wished I had gone on the rampage to buy one of my own like near everyone else with the Garden payinghalf of its cost. Rinoa had a bright blue one, complete with speakers styled in the shape of angel wings. Quistis's computer was a handy white and orange-colored laptop. Squall had a sleek black one with a faint outline of Griever over the monitor. I could go on about personalized computers, but it would only stray from my current dilemma. I didn't have the time to throw away on that now.

Sighing, I logged on to network B-Garden and typed in my login name--S.Tilmitt. I accessed the I-Message (why couldn't they just call it email?) section and selected the addresses of Zell and Irvine. I decided to write one message and send it to them both. No need for suspicions about love messages sent to the other and offers to hackers.

_**To: **I.Kinneas, Z.Dincht  
**From: **S.Tilmitt  
**Subject: **Meet_

_**Message:**_

_Hi guys!  
I don't feel so well, I think I'm coming down with a fever... Sorry guys, but we'll have to cancel meeting in the Quad. See you another time?_

_Selphie._

I felt guilty for lying but I had no other choice. If Hyne loved me, he would bring Quistis back much earlier, like tomorrow, so I could ask her opinion of the situation. Or, even better, both Irvine and Zell would forget what they ever saw in me and I'd be free once more to be happy bouncy Selphie without a worry.

Oh what was I to do?

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End file.
